[67] Then, while the Venerable Sāriputta was in seclusion, gone into solitary retreat, this reflection arose in his mind: "What, indeed, could a bhikkhu honor, respect, and dwell in dependence upon, so that he might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome?" Then it occurred to the Venerable Sāriputta: "It is by honoring, respecting, and dwelling in dependence upon the Teacher that a bhikkhu might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome; the Dhamma … the Saṅgha … the training (sikkhā) … concentration (samādhi) … heedfulness (appamāda) … it is by honoring, respecting, and dwelling in dependence upon hospitality (paṭisanthāra) that a bhikkhu might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome." Then it occurred to the Venerable Sāriputta: "These dhammas of mine are pure and cleansed. Suppose I were to go and announce these dhammas to the Blessed One; thus these dhammas of mine will be both pure and reckoned as even purer. Just as a man might obtain a nugget of gold (suvaṇṇanikkha), pure and cleansed, and it would occur to him: 'This nugget of gold of mine is pure and cleansed. Suppose I were to take this nugget of gold and show it to the goldsmiths; thus this nugget of gold of mine, having gone to the goldsmiths, will be both pure and reckoned as even purer' — even so, these dhammas of mine are pure and cleansed. Suppose I were to go and announce these dhammas to the Blessed One; thus these dhammas of mine will be both pure and reckoned as even purer."
Then, in the evening, the Venerable Sāriputta, having emerged from retreat, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, while I was in seclusion, gone into solitary retreat, this reflection arose in my mind: 'What, indeed, could a bhikkhu honor, respect, and dwell in dependence upon, so that he might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome?' Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: 'It is by honoring, respecting, and dwelling in dependence upon the Teacher that a bhikkhu might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome; the Dhamma … the Saṅgha … the training … concentration … heedfulness … it is by honoring, respecting, and dwelling in dependence upon hospitality that a bhikkhu might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome.' Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: 'These dhammas of mine are pure and cleansed. Suppose I were to go and announce these dhammas to the Blessed One; thus these dhammas of mine will be both pure and reckoned as even purer. Just as a man might obtain a nugget of gold, pure and cleansed, and it would occur to him: "This nugget of gold of mine is pure and cleansed. Suppose I were to take this nugget of gold and show it to the goldsmiths; thus this nugget of gold of mine, having gone to the goldsmiths, will be both pure and reckoned as even purer" — even so, these dhammas of mine are pure and cleansed. Suppose I were to go and announce these dhammas to the Blessed One; thus these dhammas of mine will be both pure and reckoned as even purer.'"
"Good, good, Sāriputta! It is by honoring, respecting, and dwelling in dependence upon the Teacher, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome; the Dhamma … the Saṅgha … the training … concentration … heedfulness … it is by honoring, respecting, and dwelling in dependence upon hospitality, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu might abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome."
When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I understand in detail the meaning of this statement spoken in brief by the Blessed One thus: That a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher will have respect for the Dhamma — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher is without respect for the Dhamma as well. That a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher and without respect for the Dhamma will have respect for the Saṅgha — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher and without respect for the Dhamma is without respect for the Saṅgha as well. That a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, and without respect for the Saṅgha will have respect for the training — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, and without respect for the Saṅgha is without respect for the training as well. That a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, and without respect for the training will have respect for concentration — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, and without respect for the training is without respect for concentration as well. That a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, without respect for the training, and without respect for concentration will have respect for heedfulness — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, without respect for the training, and without respect for concentration is without respect for heedfulness as well. That a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, without respect for the training, without respect for concentration, and without respect for heedfulness will have respect for hospitality — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, without respect for the training, without respect for concentration, and without respect for heedfulness is without respect for hospitality as well.
"That a bhikkhu, venerable sir, who has respect for the Teacher will be without respect for the Dhamma — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher has respect for the Dhamma as well. That a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher and has respect for the Dhamma will be without respect for the Saṅgha — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher and has respect for the Dhamma has respect for the Saṅgha as well. That a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, and has respect for the Saṅgha will be without respect for the training — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, and has respect for the Saṅgha has respect for the training as well. That a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, and has respect for the training will be without respect for concentration — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, and has respect for the training has respect for concentration as well. That a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, has respect for the training, and has respect for concentration will be without respect for heedfulness — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, has respect for the training, and has respect for concentration has respect for heedfulness as well. That a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, has respect for the training, has respect for concentration, and has respect for heedfulness will be without respect for hospitality — this is not possible. Venerable sir, a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, has respect for the training, has respect for concentration, and has respect for heedfulness has respect for hospitality as well. It is thus, venerable sir, that I understand in detail the meaning of this statement spoken in brief by the Blessed One."
"Good, good, Sāriputta! It is good, Sāriputta, that you understand in detail the meaning of this statement spoken in brief by me thus: That a bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is without respect for the Teacher will have respect for the Dhamma — this is not possible. Sāriputta, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher is without respect for the Dhamma as well. … That a bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, without respect for the training, without respect for concentration, and without respect for heedfulness will have respect for hospitality — this is not possible. Sāriputta, a bhikkhu who is without respect for the Teacher, without respect for the Dhamma, without respect for the Saṅgha, without respect for the training, without respect for concentration, and without respect for heedfulness is without respect for hospitality as well.
"That a bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who has respect for the Teacher will be without respect for the Dhamma — this is not possible. Sāriputta, one who has respect for the Teacher has respect for the Dhamma as well. … That a bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, has respect for the training, has respect for concentration, and has respect for heedfulness will be without respect for hospitality — this is not possible. Sāriputta, a bhikkhu who has respect for the Teacher, has respect for the Dhamma, has respect for the Saṅgha, has respect for the training, has respect for concentration, and has respect for heedfulness has respect for hospitality as well. It is thus, Sāriputta, that the meaning of this statement spoken in brief by me should be seen in detail."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.